Nadine Ijewere shoots the New York flagship for a second straight season as Saks heads into its first holiday under Exemplar Luxury Group. The windows and light show debut Nov. 23
Saks Fifth Avenue launched its 2026 holiday campaign, ‘Main Character Energy,’ on Tuesday, directed and shot by Nadine Ijewere inside the retailer’s New York flagship on Fifth Avenue. The campaign follows six friends on a holiday shopping trip through the store, and the flagship’s holiday windows and light show follow on Monday, Nov. 23.
It is Saks’ first holiday season under Exemplar Luxury Group, the name its parent company, formerly Saks Global, took when it emerged from Chapter 11 on June 26 with nearly 75 percent less debt, according to the company. Saks has built its first holiday campaign under the new parent around the building rather than a famous face.
Nadine Ijewere Shoots the Saks Flagship Again
Ijewere also photographed Saks’ fall 2026 campaign, ‘Let’s Go!,’ released Sept. 3, set in the flagship and New York parks. For the holiday, she directed a cast of six, Ruby Lyn, Stella Jones, Solange Smith, Luna Yohannan, Divine Mugisha and George McNally, as they move through the store buying gifts for others and pieces for themselves. Mugisha appears in both campaigns.
Saks’ announcement credits Ijewere alone; it does not name a stylist, casting director, set designer, or hair and makeup team. The retailer describes the cast as “creative personalities” rather than models or ambassadors.
What Saks Is Selling for Holiday 2026
The Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Gift Guide went live on saks.com on Oct. 13, organized into Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Beauty Gifts and Gifts Under $200. Four more edits carry the campaign’s shopping-trip idea online: Things We Want and Holiday Party Outfits for women, and Most Wanted and Men’s Holiday Dressing for men.
Inside the flagship, the Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Market sells internationally sourced holiday décor and gifts, staged around a life-size Santa and dancing penguins, with an exclusive Saks snow globe as its collectible. Saks is also debuting an Epicure program this season: gourmet treats packed in keepsake tins that depict New York City landmarks. The announcement doesn’t include prices for either, or the Holiday Market’s floor and dates.
“With Main Character Energy, we wanted to capture the joy and magic of the holidays,” said Cheryl Han, chief marketing and digital officer of Exemplar Luxury Group. Han said the idea runs from the Fifth Avenue store to Saks.com, with holiday shopping pitched as playful and full of surprise.
Fifth Avenue Windows and Light Show Open Nov. 23
Saks unveils its holiday windows and light show on Monday, Nov. 23, presented by Bread Financial, which the retailer named official payment sponsor of its 2026 holiday season. The flagship’s six center windows will stage an animated trip through New York City, while additional gallery windows will draw on the campaign imagery and fashion, according to Saks. Saks had not announced a nightly light show schedule as of Oct. 13.
Bread Financial will also host in-store events at select Saks locations and extend holiday benefits to Saks cardholders. Separately, Saks is running an in-store fundraising campaign for Make-A-Wish, which grants wishes to children with critical illnesses.
Why the Store, Not a Star, Leads the Campaign
Darcy Penick, president and chief commercial officer of Exemplar Luxury Group, said the holiday assortment and experiences were built around customers'”distinctive tastes and desires.” The campaign makes a narrower argument: for two seasons running, Saks has hired the same photographer, shot in the same building, and cast creatives instead of a celebrity, keeping the flagship as the recognizable element across fall and holiday.
That focus has a cost. The fall release named 13 designer labels, from Khaite and Prada to Loewe and Proenza Schouler; the holiday announcement names none, leaving the gift guide to sell specific products. As imagery, ‘Main Character Energy‘ sells a trip to Saks more clearly than anything on its shelves.
The first public test lands Nov. 23, when the six center windows on Fifth Avenue are unveiled.
Images courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue
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